Sir James Fitzjames Stephen, 1st Bt
1 of 4 portraits of Sir James Fitzjames Stephen, 1st Bt
© National Portrait Gallery, London
Sir James Fitzjames Stephen, 1st Bt
by George Frederic Watts
coloured chalk, circa 1855
24 in. x 20 in. (611 mm x 509 mm)
Given by the sitter's son, Sir Harry Lushington Stephen, 3rd Bt, 1939
Primary Collection
NPG 3076
Sitterback to top
- Sir James Fitzjames Stephen, 1st Bt (1829-1894), Judge and writer; son of Sir James Stephen. Sitter in 4 portraits.
Artistback to top
- George Frederic Watts (1817-1904), Painter and sculptor; Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery. Artist or producer associated with 93 portraits, Sitter in 43 portraits.
This portraitback to top
This drawing was produced circa 1855 when Stephen started his career as a barrister and married Mary Richenda, the daughter of a friend of his father.
Linked publicationsback to top
- Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 586
Events of 1855back to top
Current affairs
Palmerston becomes Prime Minister, leading a coalition government after Lord Aberdeen loses a vote of confidence over his handling of the Crimean war. Known by the nickname 'Lord Pumicestone' for his abrasive style, Palmerston is the oldest prime minister in history to take up the post for the first time at the age of 71.Stamp duty on newspapers is abolished, creating the mass media market in the UK as newspapers became more widely and cheaply available.
Art and science
Following a trip through the Holy Land to the Dead Sea, William Holman Hunt begins his symbolically-laden painting The Scapegoat.John Millais marries Effie Gray, previously John Ruskin's wife, after their marriage was annulled that year.
The social theorist and sociologist Herbert Spencer and philosopher G. H. Lewes, publishes Principles of Pyschology, exploring a physiological basis to psychology.
International
The Fall of Sebastopol in the Crimean war, as Russia retreats, and the exhaustion of the Turkish alliance means the war nears its end. Despite being rebuffed by Florence Nightingale's team of nurses, Jamaican-born nurse Mary Seacole travels to the Crimea, opening a 'British Hotel' for sick and injured soldiers. She gains significant attention and praise for her nursing work.Comments back to top
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